1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is within the field of tools for loading and unloading cartridges from a firearm magazine.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many small arms, including both rifles and handguns, utilize magazines for holding cartridges to assist in feeding the cartridges into the firearm. The detachable box magazine has become the dominant type of magazine used for automatic weapons throughout the world. The term box magazine is broad, encompassing several geometric variations, including curved box magazines. The variations are in form and structure, rather than in the general principles of operation.
In these firearms, ammunition (cartridges) is placed into a magazine which is an elongated container having a generally rectangular cross-section. The container, known as a magazine, is then fitted into a portion of the firearm proximate to the firing chamber. The magazine is closed on five sides and open on a sixth side, which is a rectangular shaped end. Such magazines are spring loaded and further adapted with retaining members over the open end. Cartridges are stacked in a linear fashion and are oriented in a manner such that the longitudinal axes of the cartridges are substantially parallel with one another. Many modern firearms employ detachable magazines which can be removed from the firearms for refilling when all of the cartridges have been expended.
In operation, a fully loaded magazine is fitted into a position adjacent to or against the firing chamber of the weapon. Normally a bolt is used to extract a spent round and force a new round into the firing chamber. As each round is fired, the bolt recoils backward, expelling the spent cartridge and pushing forward to pick up the next round. The force of the spring pushes each round up into a position adjacent to the retaining or feed lips of the magazine wherein the bolt can push it into the firing chamber.
In order to a achieve a higher capacity, many firearms utilize a "stacked" magazine in which the cartridges are held in two staggered rows, and the cartridges advance to the feed position, under spring pressure, as a group. Feeding takes place alternately from the left and the right feed lip of the magazine. The space between the lips is greater than the maximum diameter of a cartridge thus allowing convenient refilling of the magazine.
When a magazine is depleted (i.e. all the cartridges have been expended), then the magazine must be reloaded with cartridges. Ammunition is then slipped axially rearwardly into the open end of the magazine, piece by piece, with each cartridge slipping past the retaining lips to be held until used. As the magazine is being loaded, it is necessary to depress all previously loaded cartridges before additional cartridges can be loaded. As each succeeding round of ammunition in loaded, the spring is further compressed and it becomes harder to insert each seceding cartridge. Most magazines can be reloaded by hand without the use of any apparatus. However, hand reloading is often slow, tedious, and cumbersome so that it is useful to provide an apparatus for assisting in the reloading process. In cases where the cartridges are short it is particularly difficult to load a magazine by use of only human hands.
Hand loading cartridges may also damage the cartridge, especially the smaller caliber weapons like 0.22 caliber, thus increasing the frequency of jamming in automatic weapons. This jamming results because as the magazine is being loaded, the user typically will use the base or the rim of the cartridge being loaded to depresses the previously loaded cartridge. Because the spring compresses with each succeeding cartridge loaded, it becomes more difficult to insert the next cartridge. Thus the rim of the cartridge being loaded often dents or deforms the casing of the cartridge upon which it is acting. Later when the firearm is fired, these casing deformations interfere with the smooth split-second feeding action to the bolt such that the cartridge jams in the breech of the firearm.
In a like manner, similar problems also exist when it becomes necessary to unload a magazine which still contains cartridges. Although magazines can be unloaded by hand without the use of any apparatus, unloading by hand is slow, tedious, and cumbersome so that it is useful to provide an apparatus for assisting in the unloading process. In cases where the cartridges are stacked it is particularly difficult to unload a magazine by use of only human hands.
Unless one is actually using a firearm it is generally not desirable to store or transport a magazine which is loaded with cartridges. First, in many jurisdictions the transportation of a loaded cartridge is unlawful. Secondly, storing a magazine which is loaded may reduce its ability to function reliably, especially in higher capacity (40+ rounds) magazines. When a magazine is fully loaded the spring is fully compressed. After an extended period of time the compression of the spring will cause metal fatigue and the spring begins to weakens or "relax." Then, the next time the magazine is used in a firearm, the spring force is insufficient as required for rapid feeding of cartridges into the firearm, where the cartridge has to pop up instantaneously for the next round to be chambered by the bolt. This jamming is especially evident on a 50-round magazine where the last few rounds often have a tendency to jam if the magazine was left loaded for an extended period of time.
The standard way to unload a magazine is to apply force, usually with the thumb, to the rear of the top-most exposed cartridge pushing it forward until it slips past the retaining lips and out the open end of the magazine. As the magazine is being unloaded it is necessary to overcome friction between the feed lips and the cartridge caused by the spring force. To unload high capacity stacked magazines, it may also be necessary to depress all previously loaded cartridges before the top-most cartridge can be unloaded axially forwardly. Again, most magazines can be unloaded by hand without the use of any apparatus. However, hand unloading is often time-consuming and cumbersome.
As a result many firearm operators, rather than unload their magazines, simply discharge the cartridges though the firearm, in effect wasting the cartridges. This is particularly true in the military where numerous personnel may have multiple 20-round magazines at the conclusion of a maneuver. Rather than tediously unloading each magazine, which cannot be transported while loaded, they simply fire off hundreds of rounds of ammunition in order to empty the magazines.
It can readily be seen that the task of loading successive rounds of ammunition into a magazine is one which requires some care and manual dexterity. This is particularly true on cold days when a user's fingers are numb, or are enclosed in a glove, or in a situation (such as military combat) when speed in reloading may be of the essence. It is readily apparent that any simplification of the loading and unloading operation would make it quicker and easier to perform.
A number of devices exists which are adapted to assist the user in accomplishing this task. Each of these devices were designed to provide a more satisfactory form of loading ammunition into a magazine but do not realistically solve the problems encountered in loading and unloading round of ammunition into a magazine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,855, issued to Musgrave on Aug. 14, 1984, teaches a slidably attached apparatus which is adapted with a pulling handle and a protrusion which is adapted to push a round of ammunition down into the magazine for insertion of the next round. After each successive round of ammunition is loaded into the magazine, the apparatus must be removed from the magazine and reinserted for the next round to be loaded. While it does facilitate loading, the requirement of reinsertion, sliding, and removal makes its use somewhat tedious and awkward. Further, it is cumbersome to use as difficulties may be encountered in holding the device in place against the magazine. As it requires several cartridges to fill a magazine, and as the user has only two hands, he must manipulate cartridges, guide, and magazine, carefully and with much skill.
It should also be noted that all of the prior art devices, primarily because of their structure, are useful only in a narrow range of magazine sizes. Thus, a firearm owner with a variety of weapons would typically have to purchase a number of different devices to accommodate his collection. Further, all of these devices are strictly utilized to load a magazine and are not for the purpose of rapidly unloading an already loaded magazine.
The prior art does not include a device which accommodates a variety of cartridge shapes and a variety of magazine sizes and types, which permits the loading and unloading task to be repeatedly and continuously performed with one hand, which comprises no moving parts and which is without cumbersome dimensions.
Because a loading mechanism may be used in field or outdoor conditions, devices which depend upon springs or motors are subject to freezing from exposure to cold and/or corrosion or deterioration from exposure to water and the like. Thus, it is advantageous to provide a device which orients cartridges and can be used for loading cartridges but which does not require a motor or springs to orient or move the cartridges.
Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved magazine loader which is substantially free of the disadvantages of prior loaders.
Another object is to provide a tool which is completely adapted for ambidextrous use.
Another object is to provide a tool which universally loads and unloads the various caliber cartridges and magazines utilized by automatic pistols and rifles.
Another object is to provide a high quality, durable tool, which is light weight such that it can be easily carried in a user's hunting vest, pocket, or firearm case.
Another object is to provide an improved magazine loader which can be employed to quickly and efficiently load and unload cartridges in a magazine.
Another object is to provide a loading and unloading tool which will not scratch, dent, or deform firearms, cartridges, or the accessories commonly used with those firearms.
Another object is to provide such a device which will be simple and economical to fabricate.
An additional object is to provide a tool which functions smoothly and efficiently to load and unload a stacked magazine having two rows of cartridges.